Lower back pain is a common ailment among the population and results in pain and suffering as well as loss of work time. Thus, approaches for the treatment of back pain can both relieve suffering as well as reduce employee sick time. Since back pain results in considerable employee absenteeism, effective treatments for lower back pain have both economic benefits as well as the benefit of alleviating considerable suffering. In some cases, back pain can be alleviated through the fusion of adjacent bones, such as vertebrae.
The sacroiliac joint is located at the juncture of the ilium, the upper bone of the pelvis, and the sacrum at the base of the spine. While the sacroiliac joint has a limited range of motion, dysfunction of the joint has been identified. The joint is supported by a range of ligaments including, for example, the sacroiliac ligament at the base of the joint and the anterior sacroiliac ligament at the top of the joint. The joint is in the vicinity of the passage of a large number of blood vessels and nerves that pass from the torso to the lower extremities. Any procedures near the joint should avoid damage to significant adjacent vessels and nerves.